Jersey explosion: Further arrests are unlikely - police chief

The working theory for police has been that a gas explosion occurred

No further arrests are expected by police investigating a fatal explosion at a block of flats in Jersey, the island's police chief says.

The building on Pier Road in Haut du Mont collapsed in December 2022, killing 10 people.

The working theory for police has been that a gas explosion occurred.

Police Chief Robin Smith said three men arrested after the incident were re-interviewed and re-released on bail, but further arrests were "unlikely".

He added the next step of the investigation would be to provide the Jersey Law Officers Department with a file of evidence.

'Enough evidence'

He said: "We will look to do that in the coming weeks and months.

"They will need to go through that equally as carefully to determine whether there is enough evidence; that's whether that could be a major incident or a straightforward crime."

The three, arrested last August on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, have not been not charged.

Mr Smith said they were interviewed again on 2-4 April and "re-bailed to May next month, where we will make some more decisions on the next part of the process".

He said it was "unlikely that any further arrests will be made as far as Operation Spire is concerned".

When asked why the investigation was taking so long, the police chief said: "I, from day one, have said I believe it's important we do this right.

"I believe that our bereaved families want the States of Jersey Police to do this right and accurately.

"You know, we can rush and do it badly, or we can do it methodically and carefully, and that's what we are going to do."

Operation Spire has pursued 1,817 lines of inquiry and 6,526 documents have been analysed.

More than 60,000 personal effects were recovered and the vast majority had been returned to families, police said.

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